Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 17-02-2015, 09:36   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 19
CatLife Planning stages

Does anyone know of Cat owners who operate day/evening tours that fund the live aboard life in the BVI's or Bahama's.
I would like to book a ship cruise to areas where I can meet them and do a day sail or snorkel tour with them to get a feel for the business.
I've been a powerboat cruiser/owner for the past 8 years and want to get into sailing Cats with a goal of living aboard. I feel this strange and extremely strong passion for this lifestyle inside my heart that is unlike anything I have ever felt.



Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
BARRMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-02-2015, 09:57   #2
Senior Cruiser
 
GordMay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,082
Images: 241
Re: CatLife Planning stages

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, BARRMAN.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"



GordMay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2015, 09:06   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 19
Re: CatLife Planning stages

Thanks GordMay. Are there any other popular locations I could get to by cruise ship where Cat owners offer day snorkel or sail cruises in the Caribbean?
I want to try it with someone who lives aboard by night and charters by day to support the cruising life.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
BARRMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-02-2015, 11:31   #4
Senior Cruiser
 
skipmac's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16’ N 82° 25.82’ W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,306
Re: CatLife Planning stages

Hi Barrman and welcome to the forum.

The question of chartering to pay for a boat or to fund the lifestyle is pretty common but your idea is a bit different. It could work to at least supplement your live aboard life but there's a number of things you should consider.

- Day sails and harbor tours are very common in all tourist destinations I've been to. A lot of them are so called booze cruises where a boat, frequently a cat, takes a crowd (often a big crowd) out around the harbor with music, food or snacks, and of course booze. These are usually very popular and during peak tourist seasons are frequently packed.

More personal tours, snorkeling trips or sunset sails with couples or small groups are also common but less popular. These usually cost the customer a lot more than the booze cruise and in general not as regular, reliable business for the operator.

So the booze cruises can generate a good bit of business but you need the room to hold them and also have to deal with mobs of rowdy tourists barging around in your home.

- Anywhere you do this you will have red tape to deal with. Possibly a lot. If non-US territory you have to deal with work permits, just like a foreigner trying to work in the US. If there are locals doing the same business getting a permit to compete against them could be difficult. Try to do it under the radar you will almost certainly get busted by the locals complaining to their cousin who's the local constable.

If US territory if I recall correctly you have to have a boat that is USCG inspected if you carry more than 6 passengers. This entails complying with a whole lot of safety regulations. You will certainly need a USCG captains license.

Please note that the above comments are very general and just intended as a very rough guide to the issue. Local situations can be quite different.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
skipmac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-02-2015, 20:40   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Boat: PDQ 32 DogHouse
Posts: 608
Re: CatLife Planning stages

Check out my friends at zerotocruising.com they're doing pretty much what you're talking about.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
amytom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2015, 09:45   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 19
Re: CatLife Planning stages

Thanks for the info on zero to cruising. it's similar to what I want to do but i only want to do day charters. It's nice to know you can support that life style. I'm thinking on cashing out my retirement savings and taking the penalty to buy a 200k cat in the 45' range and start living instead of waiting for a retirement in 5 years that can never really happen with those savings anyway. YOLO !



Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
BARRMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Crew Wanted: Seattle to Florida in Stages eric42p Crew Archives 11 25-09-2014 08:57
Trip Planning and Routing Software / Tools wesaint Atlantic & the Caribbean 9 30-05-2010 07:27
Trip Planning AnotherSailorman General Sailing Forum 7 27-05-2009 12:16
In the building stages yet shegopher Meets & Greets 4 01-02-2008 23:56
Planning on West End/Abaco Trip In August Latitude9.5 Atlantic & the Caribbean 20 07-08-2006 02:13

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 20:16.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.